I like the beginner/advanced idea. Or at least having some level of 'involvement' on a fly pattern. If not beginner or advanced, maybe simple/intermediate/complex?
The swap I was involved in was cool, but some patterns obviously took a lot of time and energy; while others were simply a chunk of foam on a hook (ie no time invested at all, the simplest fly available). I kind of felt like I had traded away some really nice flies for a handful that were just really basic. Most were great, but it was obvious that some people just want to crank out something easy and get something nice in return.

I would try a swap again, but I would like to know that the 'level' of flies that I am sending out is that which is being returned in terms of quality and intricacy.
TB

PS, sorry if that sounds snooty... And it is really not about beginner or advanced (only tying for 15 months here). But really about level of involvement in the particular pattern.

For example, imagine being in a streamer swap (I was not). If you made a box of beautiful deer hair headed sculpins; would you really want to receive a wooly bugger in return?

If you tied a bunch of intricate stimulators up, would you like to receive a griffiths gnat in return?

Nothing inherently wrong with simple ties (they are popular for good reasons!), but there is a level of material investment and time spent on good flies.
Would you want to trade the effort in producing copper johns for the effort of producing San Juans or eggs? probably not.

That said, it was great seeing other people's flies and ideas that are working elsewhere. I would do it again, I just hope people bring their 'A game' to the swaps in terms of deadlines, quality, and creativity!

PPS, thanks to Ard for spearing the Medusa in the head, ie trying to reorganize a good thing!